Back to work...

Back to work I woke up this morning at 5:30 a.m., started my coffee pot, went to my closet, and picked out a fabulous outfit. I had the biggest smile on my face as I stared in the mirror- pumping myself up with a, “You got this, girl!”

But inside, anxiety had already started to creep in, and the words, ‘You are a failure, you won’t be able to handle this,’ whispered softly in my ear. I shook them away, closed my eyes, and began to say a prayer-

Dear God, thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for my family and the school that was provided for them. It may only be from 8 a.m. to noon, but thank you! Thank you for surrounding me with people who have encouraged me and helped me. Thank you for keeping that light at the end of the tunnel bright. Only you know, Lord, how many times I wanted to quit when studying got too hard and finishing felt impossible. Thank you, Lord, for guiding me and directing me to the right company and the right mentors, and for helping me pass my tests (after the endless studying while raising 3 kids during covid).

The whispers of doubt faded and soon an old familiar excitement surrounded me. After 12 years of being a stay-at-home mom (I had a few jobs here and there), I am now officially a Working Mom. Staying home with my boys has been a blessing but -let’s be real- the hardest job on the planet for me. I have always wanted to have a career. I craved having something outside of our home to call my own. As stay-at-home moms, our job is never-ending, and as much as we deserve a paycheck we settle for hugs and kisses. Sometimes those days are long and frustrating, and there’s nowhere to turn but a closet or a bathroom. The short-lived 5 seconds to ourselves are usually interrupted by little fingers under the door and the repetitive call of, “Mom!” Life as a stay-at-home mom shook my world more times than I can count. It has made me cry over and over, BUT it has brought me more joy than I have ever experienced before. I have seen every first step, kissed every boo-boo, read them books, and had my heart melted seeing their eyes light up with every new experience.

I have been truly blessed by every smile AND hardship along the way. I struggled with knowing when the timing would be right to move to the next chapter in my life. I constantly put off working until further and further down the time-line. Maybe when Shepherd goes to preschool…maybe when he goes to college. I doubted my ability to balance it all.

It wasn’t till this little thing called Covid- have you heard of it?- came into our lives, broke down my walls and excuses while at the same time building a barrier around our home with little to no escape. I felt trapped in our home with 3 kids, and I began to feel like the world may end before I got a chance to

realize all my dreams. The combination was too much. I began to salivate at the thought- the time is now or never. So I did what I always do, and I came up with a plan. I would take care of the kids during the day, and any chance I got I would study.

One of my dearest friends, David English, was already working towards his real estate license, and the timing was just screaming perfect! With his help (and I needed a lot of it), we did the dang thing. Trying to study and keep 3 boys entertained, fed, and the house cleaned had me pulling out my hair. A couple of major and I mean major break downs, but in the end- we did it! With many tears, doubts, fears, failures, and triumphs, we finally walked into that final testing center and walked out with a ‘Pass.’ There were tears of happiness, hugs, and busting out in song the whole way home. We stared at one another with tears in our eyes and wide grins on our faces knowing our world was about to change. This was something we knew we would love, be good at, and we were

dang proud of ourselves. We took a moment to both let out a gust of air. We had been holding our breath for months, and now we could finally let it out. We paused in silence knowing this was the moment we had been waiting for. The beginning of a world unknown, but felt so familiar. We were going to knock on those doors to success, and we were never going to let them shut.

So here I am now- a few weeks in- as a working mom. In no way is this an easy path. It’s been just as hard as staying home, and my hats off to the moms who have been paving the path. Having balance is real. Time for work, time for kids’ school, playing, cooking, cleaning, and you know that other major part of my life- my husband. While adding another passion to my life, I have also made a promise to the people who depend on me that my family will always come first. I am so thankful that real estate gives me the time to be able to do that.

That being said, at times I still feel like there isn’t enough time in the day. I wish I had extended family who lived here so the cost of a babysitter wouldn’t drain my bank account before my check is even cashed. I wish school was back in person so I didn’t have to drive all the way back to pick the kids up by noon. But still- I am so blessed and so happy. I find myself thriving in what others would call chaos. I love being busy and have always stared pressure in the face with a smile. I have my trust in the Lord for the times I struggle, and know he has hand-picked the husband by my side to help me run this world. My kids are loving seeing me work and have been encouraging me. My baby is thriving in preschool and actually runs inside to play- coming back quickly for a kiss and hug- and then waves goodbye with glee.

So here is the next chapter- I am accomplishing my dreams, learning how to balance work and family, and trying to be a mom who ‘does it all.’ I am so proud of myself, and I am so proud of all of you who do everything for your children. So now that I have a taste of what it’s like to be a working mom, and a long stint of being a stay-at-home mom, I just want to say you ALL are amazing. Don’t let those whispers of doubt and dread taunt you. You are wonderfully made. You have the strength of a thousand lions. You have the patience of angels. You are mothers in a chaotic and uncertain world, and yet, you are doing this thang. I am proud of us all, and you should be, too.

BY BLAIRE LOMETTI-MATHIASIN MOMMY PROOF: STAYING SANE